Description

Trichocereus peruvianus ‘Clyde’ x Trichocereus huarazensis | 25 seeds

Rarely encountered in Europe (or elsewhere), Trichocereus peruvianus ‘Clyde’ x Trichocereus huarazensis is a must for any serious grower of Trichocereus cacti, combining some truly exceptional genetics. This one’s another of our EU exclusives!

Rapidly gaining in popularity among Trichocereus collectors, ‘Clyde’ is a nice strain of the fast-growing columnar cactus Trichocereus peruvianus (syn. Echinopsis peruviana) – closely related to Trichocereus bridgesii (‘Achuma’, ‘Bolivian Torch’) and Trichocereus pachanoi (‘San Pedro’). Covered with fierce, reddish-brown-white spines (between approximately two and eight centimetres long), the species grows frosted, blue to green coloured columns (up to roughly eighteen centimetres in diameter) that reach up to six metres tall. Gorgeous, white to whitish blooms appear between late spring and summer.

Native to the Peruvian Andes (growing at a height of around two thousand to three thousand metres), peruvianus forms a complex intergrade with related species including Trichocereus cuzcoensis and Trichocereus macrogonus, which loosely comprises of many fantastic varieties and hybrids. As are many of the columnar Trichocereus species, peruvianus is often used as a hedge plant and also as an important adjunct to certain indigenous medicine practices.

An intriguing putatitive species about which very little is known but which is currently garnering much interest is Trichocereus huarazensis. Considered to possess rather distinctive stem growth and flower buds, there are reportedly two or more separate collections from which all cultivated material originates. These two collections are thought to have occurred in Huaraz, Peru. However, some people believe Trichocereus huarazensis to be simply a Peruvian locality variety of pachanoi, which would more properly make it Trichocereus pachanoi var. huarazensis.

This hybrid seed stores well and will grow easily outside (anywhere in USDA Hardiness Zones 8-11) or indoors. Sow in mildly acidic to mildly alkaline soil, progressing from light shade to full to partial sun as the young plants mature. When transplanting into larger, separate containers (after the first year or so), space between fifty centimetres and a metre apart, so they have ample room to grow. Allow the soil to completely dry out between waterings, reducing over the winter months as per your local climate.

All the seed sold by Arkham’s Botanical was freshly and ethically sourced in 2018-2019